503-HP Volkswagen GTI Comes to L.A., Twin Up! Concept at Tokyo

The 2013 Los Angeles auto show and Tokyo Motor Show may be open during the same week, but that doesn't mean Volkswagen can't be in two places at once. The German automaker is showing the super-fast GTI Design Vision concept in the west, and an electric powered Up! in the east.

After wowing enthusiasts at Worthersee, the GTI Design Vision is arriving in Los Angeles looking just as good as it did in Germany. The all-wheel-drive hot hatch boasts a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 with 503 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque, which rockets the GTI from 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds. While it's fast with a top speed of 186 mph, the GTI Design Vision is also environmentally friendly with two three-way catalytic converters close to the engine to improve emissions. Wider and lower than the garden variety GTI, the concept still keeps its 20-inch wheels and stretched out C-pillars, and all that Alcantara, Nappa leather, and carbon fiber trim inside. Since it's track-focused, the concept is also equipped with neat track toys, such as a display that can show lap times and the map of the track.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is a new concept that looks like the Up! on the outside but like the XL1 under the hood, as the Twin Up! concept utilizes its plug-in hybrid system. That means the Twin Up! is powered an 0.8-liter turbodiesel two-cylinder and electric motor that make a combined system output of 74 hp, which is delivered to the wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Volkswagen says the Twin Up! can accelerate from 0-62 mph in 15.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 87 mph, but we're those interested in the Twin Up! won't really care about that anyway. What they will care about are facts such as the XL1 will stay in pure EV mode for up to 31 miles, courtesy of a 8.6-kW-hr lithium-ion battery pack, and that according to the New European Testing Cycle (less strict than the EPA's tests), the Twin Up! returns 261 mpg.

While the plug-in up is essentially the same as the regular Up!, Volkswagen said it lengthened the car's overhang by 1.2 inches so all the new hardware could fit inside. Other differences exclusive to the Twin Up! include "Sparkling White" exterior paint that has special glass flakes mixed in, and a bright interior with a ceramic and blue color theme, and a fully digital instrument cluster.While the GTI Design Vision concept will never see production, Volkswagen hints that there is a chance the Twin Up! concept could lead to a production vehicle, though the U.S. most likely wouldn't ever see the car.

The Vision concept wasn't the original concept car for the new GTI. The concept was created after the regular golf was already on sale (or getting read to go on sale) in Europe. Its a design study showcasing what the GTI could be someday, and also just for fun, it was never meant as a serious offering, its a custom show car. Tho i'd buy it in a heart beat if they did offer it looking like that (even with the normal GTI engine) :)

Someone please explain to me the point of the concept car. It looks great, I'll buy it, but when the production model is available it looks nothing like the concept, e.g. 1999 Mercedes M class, 2015 Subaru Wrx and too many others to name.....geez